Breathlessness (dyspnoea), fainting or blackout episodes (syncope), and sensations of an abnormal or racing heartbeat (palpitations) can each have a wide range of causes, and a cardiac cause is only one possibility. A specialist assessment helps determine whether your heart is contributing to what you are experiencing.
If you have experienced an episode of syncope, temporary driving restrictions may apply under the Austroads Assessing Fitness to Drive standards used across Australia. How this applies depends on the likely cause of the episode and the type of licence you hold. Your cardiologist can advise you on this directly as part of your assessment.
Depending on your specific symptoms, your cardiologist may recommend an ECG, Holter or Heart Bug monitoring to capture your heart rhythm over an extended period, or an echocardiogram to assess heart structure and function.
If a cardiac cause is identified, your cardiologist will discuss management options with you. If your symptoms are found not to be cardiac in origin, this information is equally valuable and will be communicated clearly to you and your GP for further investigation if needed.
If you have experienced an episode of syncope, temporary driving restrictions may apply under Australian national driving standards. Your cardiologist can advise on how these apply to your specific situation as part of your assessment.
Syncope refers to a complete loss of consciousness, while presyncope refers to a feeling of almost fainting without full loss of consciousness. Both can be worth investigating.
Yes, anxiety and other non cardiac causes can produce sensations similar to a cardiac arrhythmia, which is part of why specialist assessment is useful to clarify the cause.
Depending on your symptoms, you may be asked to wear a Holter monitor (Heart Bug) for 24 to 48 hours or longer, to capture heart rhythm data during your normal activities.
If your GP has recommended a specialist assessment for breathlessness, fainting or palpitations, ask them to send a referral directly to BK Heart.
